Bridges of Madison County Previews- Page 3

[LimelightMike]

Posted: 1/21/14 at 4:23am

Is this stage high for this one? For those who have seen, where do you think would be the ideal seating locale to 'take in' the show?

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 1/21/14 at 7:09am

Front Mezzanine is a stunning view.

[followspot]

Posted: 1/21/14 at 9:51am

I'm seeing this tomorrow night, and am actually pretty annoyed to hear that it isn't in better shape at this stage in the game. I know the show's technically in previews, but it's already had its try-out production — the issues being discussed all sound like things that should have been solved before ever making their way onto the Schoenfeld stage.

[jaxandmci]

Posted: 1/21/14 at 10:21am

I saw the third preview (Saturday evening). I wanted to love it but unfortunately, did not. Maybe it's because I had seen Beautiful earlier in the day and was still high from Mueller's incredible performance.

The score is beautiful at times but forgettable. The leads deliver excellent performances and were in wonderful voice but I agree with others' comments about them being too young for the roles. Novel and film aside, they just seemed too young to be experiencing the angst, the lack of fulfillment and the regret that sometimes comes with middle age. O'Hara's Italian accent was either barely there or not there at all so the entire Italy subplot fell really flat for me. It wasn't made to fit, nor in my opinion, made to matter.

My biggest problem, though was the length. The second act dragged on forever and while the passage of time that needed to be conveyed was successful in that it seemed an eternity, it was less so in ageing the characters both physically and emotionally. The years it takes forty minutes to pass could easily--and more effectively--be accomplished in fifteen. This three hour show needs to have about 40 minutes cut out of it. There's no reason for it to be any longer than that.

My other issue was the sets. Although they were realtively basic, (and yes, projections are used), each scene consisted of many simple set pieces that were rolled in and out by the ensemble doubling as stage crew. It got to be very repetitive with all the simple components (multiple pieces of fence or short stretches of railing, for example) always rolling in and rolling out. The stage traffic the cast created in doing so--as well as the noise of so many wheels against the stage floor--often killed the mood of the show.

Limelight Mike: I sat front row orchestra and no, the stage is not at all high.

I can't recommend it, though, without some major cuts and lots of tuning. The following day, I saw Twelfth Night and it's three hour length passed like mere minutes compared to the bloat of Bridges.

[oasisjeff]

Posted: 1/21/14 at 11:02am

"I know the show's technically in previews..."?!

Technically? I think it is literally in previews. I mean, I'm not familiar with the source material, so I specifically am waiting to let them work all the kinks out. I'll likely catch one of the final previews or go after it opens. But if you go in the first week, you're sort of signing on for this.

[followspot]

Posted: 1/21/14 at 11:24am

^^ Feel better now? My point was that although the Broadway production isn't locked yet, it doesn't seem that the creators have addressed the problems inherent in the out-of-town tryout production at Williamstown Theatre Festival. Complaints there were that the show was 30 to 40 minutes too long. Complaints here are that the show is 30 to 40 minutes too long. Of course production kinks should be expected in early previews. Being 30 to 40 minutes too long isn't a kink.

Good for you for waiting to see it later in its run. That's what I would normally do as well, but it's a friend's birthday, and that's what she wanted to see. Shoot me.

[newintown]

Posted: 1/21/14 at 11:48am

I'm sure that in the next 4 weeks, they'll fix everything they didn't get to or couldn't figure out during the last six years of development and full production, and it'll magically become perfect.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 1/21/14 at 12:02pm

Sounds like a very cheap production. Usually Sher is great with the visuals, but this one seems lacking.

[oasisjeff]

Posted: 1/21/14 at 12:35pm

"Complaints there were that the show was 30 to 40 minutes too long. Complaints here are that the show is 30 to 40 minutes too long."

But are they the same 30-40 minutes?

[followspot]

Posted: 1/21/14 at 1:05pm

^^ Ha! Maybe not! Cheers!

[indytallguy]

Posted: 1/21/14 at 1:27pm

I know the two of you were joking about it, but as a theatre geek, That's something I would enjoy being able to see ... the equivalent of Word's "Track changes" for productions in previews or maybe after the show has opened. It is parallel to the insight you gain from seeing a painter's sketches or a sculptor's models in relation to the final work. Seeing Sondheim's notes in his books was fascinating to me.

[madison51552]

Posted: 1/21/14 at 3:09pm

I thought the visuals were beautiful in this production. Part of what makes Sher a wonderful director is his sense of building a community for the characters to work in. This show takes place in Iowa, it's a community of working people, how he incorporates this into every aspect of the scenery and movement is truly breathtaking.

[Kad]

Posted: 1/21/14 at 3:26pm

"I'm sure that in the next 4 weeks, they'll fix everything they didn't get to or couldn't figure out during the last six years of development and full production, and it'll magically become perfect."

Just like Big Fish!

[BwayGeek2]

Posted: 1/21/14 at 4:34pm

Just wanted to chime in regarding Kelli O'Hara's Italian accent... While I am by no means an expert, I did notice the accent (I didn't find it non-existent) and it wasn't distracting either. Like I said, not an expert, but it wasn't a problem for me.

[thebeautyis3]

Posted: 1/21/14 at 5:08pm

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I thought Francesca wasn't supposed to have a heavy accent since she had been in the US for so long? It's been a while since I read the novel, but I thought it took Robert a little while to realize she was Italian. Of course, they might have changed that for the show, I guess.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 1/21/14 at 11:56pm

I braved the storm tonight to see this and it is by far one of my favorite things of the season. That's not to say that I didn't have issues with it (I did), but what's good is so wonderful that I almost feel guilty complaining.

Instead of giving Kelli some grand entrance, Bartlett has her slowly wander onto the dimly lit stage until she finds herself downstage, bathed in a soft, white glow. She begins to sing the stunning opening number and I am completely overwhelmed by how good she sounds. It's not like this is her Broadway debut and we've never heard her sing before, but it's genuinely shocking to hear someone sing so well. She is absolute perfection throughout the show, not just vocally. She acts the sh!t out of the role and scores several big laughs too. Her Francesca is so warm and lovely.

JRB so clearly gets the characters of Francesca and Robert too; both of their songs contain some of his best lyrics he's ever written. Their melodies are lush and romantic. The orchestrations, also done by JRB, are excellent.

Steven Pasquale really comes into his own too. He's in great voice and has smoldering chemistry with Kelli. I haven't been so invested in the happiness of two characters since I can't remember when. Their duet "Before and After You/One Second & a Million Miles" was so good! It's stuff like this that will keep me going back to the theater again and again.

There have been comments that Kelli and Steven are two young, but I disagree. Yes they are younger than Meryl and Eastwood, but if they wanted to replicate the movie they would have cast Keith Carradine and Karen Ziemba.

The problem with the show isn't so much the length, but that I didn't care about any of the other characters, save Cass Morgan, and when the focus shifted to the supporting characters I couldn't wait for it to shift back to the main attraction.

They really, really need to cut the scene at the State Fair that begins act two. It won't be missed and feels like filler. Just start with the following scene of Kelli and Steven in bed together.

I had a negative reaction to the performances of the two children. They both really need to tone it done, especially next to the highly naturalistic performances coming from the two leads. Klena and Kinnunen are grating and obnoxious. Maybe they're trying to feel out the roles, but it's too much right now. The conflict between Klena and Hunter Foster is underdeveloped, but I didn't care about it and I would rather see it dropped than developed further.

I think the problems are easily fixable: cut about 20-25 minutes of the fat and this could really be a special show. I will 100% be going back several times during previews.

[Lavieboheme3090]

Posted: 1/22/14 at 12:01am

Was there tonight as well. I felt that Sher really learned his lesson from Woman on the Verge, the show has an amazing flow and doesn't come to grinding halt every time there is scene transition. I loved how open the stage is, fantastic score, gorgeous singing hands down my favorite new musical of the season.

[E.Davis]

Posted: 1/22/14 at 12:09am

I do know that a new ending was put in place tonight. I was front row and JRB came into the put to play a transition that was not written down yet.

Kelli stopped the show with her Act 2 number about her life back in Italy. Also, I am so mad that Cass Morgan does not get a button on her hilarious song. I was talking to someone and they feel that they scene in Act to with Charlie and Marge is kinda a evening out thing for her not getting an end to her song. She was just fantastic.

[matineeidol2591]

Posted: 1/22/14 at 12:11am

Nothing like poor weather to make producers throw comp tickets around!

I got to catch Bridges this evening. Unsure if anything has changed from their first weekend of previews, but the show clocked in tonight around 2 hours and 45 minutes with intermission. It does still feel a tad long though-they can certainly find another 5-10 minutes to trim.

I thought it was a rather pretty piece, my main overall issue was a lack of drive/stakes throughout the story. They keep talking/singing about how nosey everybody in the town is-taking that idea and fleshing it out more would have brought some potential risk to Francesca and Roberts affair as it unfolds in the first act. Having actors sit on the side watching, and giving Francesca passing glances as they constantly push set pieces around the stage barely registered this idea. I also feel if Francesca's relationship with her children could have been somehow fleshed out more, her falling into the affair and struggle to leave with Robert or continue her life at home would have had a much greater punch if we felt she had a very strong reason to stay behind. Hell, I wanted her to run off with Robert. I wanted so badly to be emotionally touched, but unfortunately left the theatre rather unchanged.

Performances are pretty wonderful across the board-Kelli O'Hara does a fine job and Steven Pasquale is quite the perfect leading man. Whitney Bashor singing 'Another Life' in the first act was one of my favorite parts of the entire show. The score had some pretty moments, but for the most part it isn't all that distinctive.

I had a real problem with the set-those rolling storefronts? C'mon. It looks like they were trying to save money rather than accomplish a specific scenic vision. The show is called 'Bridges of Madison County' after all, and three archways and some fence made for a pretty pathetic title locale. Fortunately, the lighting design gives us some gorgeous eye candy throughout the evening.

I am seeing this again at the end of next week and will be quite curious to see how things change-sadly though I don't think there is much tweaking they can do that would greatly benefit the show unless they add some new songs or scenes and chopping some current parts.

This baby gets a 2.5 our of 4 from me.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 1/22/14 at 12:24am

Hm. I need to rush this. How was the partial view rush seat?

Sounds like they just need to cut/trim the subplots. No one has complained about the main story.

My friend that went said it was a great show, but there's no action. It's just an action-less story so there's not much momentum.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 1/22/14 at 7:52am

Whizzer after reading what you wrote, I'm kind of sorry I didn't see this when I was in the city on Saturday night.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 1/22/14 at 8:55am

I've been looking forward to this for ages! I adore Kelli O'Hara, and heard her sing one of the songs during a performance at Caramoor over a year ago.

Thanks for the great review, Whizzer.

[matineeidol2591]

Posted: 1/22/14 at 10:54am

RipppedMan- I couldnt agree more with your friend. Thats a much clearer and simple way of saying exactly how I felt.

Not much is going on in the show- it just kinda unfolds and everyone sings pretty. But theres no drive, drama, stakes...

[mamaleh]

Posted: 1/22/14 at 12:50pm

How does one access those comps that "producers throw around" at times? I've always wondered.

[newintown]

Posted: 1/22/14 at 1:13pm

Sleep with the right people or be hilarious at dinner parties (if you're insufficiently attractive to sleep with the right people).